1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and is concerned more particularly with an electrical power connector having means for aligning and retaining electrical contacts in respective desired positions in the connector body.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An electrical power connector of the receptacle type may comprise a dielectric body defining an open cavity having therein a plurality of male contacts which extend from a bottom wall of the cavity in laterally spaced relationship with one another. Thus, a mating electrical connector of the plug-in type may have a projecting dielectric portion which is insertable into the cavity of the receptacle type connector and which has a leading surface provided with a plurality of laterally spaced holes. Each of the holes is disposed for receiving therein an aligned male contact in the cavity, and supports a respective female contact for rubbing electrical engagement with the received male contact of the receptacle type connector.
Therefore, it is important that the male contacts of the receptacle type connector be positioned accurately in the cavity for alignment with respective holes in the leading surface of the plug-in type connector. Also, it is important that the male contacts of the receptacle type connector be firmly held in the respective desired positions for withstanding the insertion forces exerted by the rubbing female contacts of the plug-in type connector. Consequently, the male contacts of the receptacle type connector generally have respective supported portions fixedly embedded, as by molding, for example, in the bottom wall of the cavity.
However, it has been found that the time interval allowed for the operation of assembling contact members into molds prior to the molding operation is a limiting factor in reducing the overall time interval required for the molding process. Also, it has been found that the time interval required for the molding operation generally limits the time interval allowed for the operation of assembling contact members into molds for the next molding operation. Therefore, with the operation of assembling contact members into molds combined with the operation of molding the connector bodies, it is difficult to reduce the cost of either operation and thereby reduce the cost of producing each power connector.